It turned out that he was suffering from a degenerative brain disease, called CTE, that lead to depression and most likely his eventual suicide.

Now, the Seau family is suing the NFL!

They claim that his suicide was the result of brain disease caused by the repeated hits to the head he received while playing professional football.

It's a wrongful death lawsuit filed in California and it blames the NFL for deliberately ignoring and concealing the evidence of the risks associated with traumatic brain injuries.

If they win this lawsuit, it could change everything! That would not only open up the NFL to all sorts of legal problems, but it could also stop the sport until new rules are defined or new protective equipment is developed.

The NFL made a statement:

"Our attorneys will review it and respond to the claims appropriately through the court."

Junior's family released a statement as well, saying:

"We were saddened to learn that Junior, a loving father and teammate, suffered from CTE. While Junior always expected to have aches and pains from his playing days, none of us ever fathomed that he would suffer a debilitating brain disease that would cause him to leave us too soon. We know this lawsuit will not bring back Junior. But it will send a message that the NFL needs to care for its former players, acknowledge its decades of deception on the issue of head injuries and player safety, and make the game safer for future generations."

We couldn't agree more.

The Seau family is also suing Riddell, the maker of the NFL's football helmets for their product being unreasonably dangerous and unsafe.

Hopefully this all brings about some serious changes to how the game is played and how its former players are treated.

Let's hope Junior Seau is the last casualty in the NFL safety war.

Check out the video (above) for an in-depth look at the link between former football players and depression.